We've had published an amazing 200 features on TrainingZONE over 2004, many of them contributed by members of the site.
This is a selection of our favourite 50 – broken into 10 themes but in no other particular order - chosen for being innovative, insightful, creating debate and sheer popularity!
We hope you'll agree with this line up, but whether or not your favourite feature of 2004 is here, why not make your nomination for the best feature of the year by adding a comment below? We'd love to get your feedback.
To find out the features coming up in 2005 got to our forward features list.
E-Learning
1 What do Employees Really Think About E-Learning? Kevin Young of SkillSoft reports on the findings of a major international survey into employees’ perspectives of e-learning.
2 E-Learning Styles Claudine McClean MCIPD of Structured Training looks at Kolb's different learning styles and how these influence the way people approach e-learning.
3 The Future for E-Learning Steve Dineen of fuel predicts that mobile technology will revolutionise the way we are e-learning.
4 Parkin Space: The Tail is Wagging the Dog Godfrey Parkin warns that the technologists, not the trainers, have the upper hand when it comes to developing e-learning.
Blended Learning
6 Parkin Space: When Blending Doesn't Mix "Blended courses that I have seen are, frankly, disjointed and chaotic - a jigsaw puzzle hastily put together in the dark," Godfrey Parkin mixes it up.
7 Creating the Perfect Blend Tim Drewitt of Balance Learning looks at the key components that will optimise any blended learning programme.
8 Structuring the Blend Robin Hoyle of ebc explains the five foundations for building a blend that works.
9 Blended Learning – Steering The Middle Course For Learning Success David Stephenson, of WebCT looks at how technology is changing the shape of education.
Coaching and Mentoring
10 When Coaching Fails – Through the Eyes of a Client Dr Sabine Dembkowski and Fiona Eldridge look at a study into clients' reactions to executive coaching and the lessons coaches and organisations can learn from it.
11 The Way I See It… 11 Myths About CoachingJan Brause explores what she sees as the myths about coaching.
12 The Way I See It… The Future for Coaching Coaching is predicted to become worth $2billion globally in the coming year. Matt Tobutt of HumanTechnics looks at whether the growth in executive coaching is sustainable or if the bubble is about to burst.
13 Beyond Definition Julie Farmer of the Mentoring Development Group makes the case for sidestepping definitions of coaching and mentoring.
14 Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks Graham Lee author of Leadership Coaching: From Personal Insight to Business Performance looks how coaching can overcome managers' unconscious resistance to change and bring about real business benefits.
15 A Guide to Mentoring Claudine McClean of Predaptive OD Limited gives a quick guide to making mentoring work.
Team Building/ Development
16Team Development and the Trainer Mike Taylor, director of Interaction Learning and Development , explores the possibilities and the boundaries, of the trainer's role in team development.
17 Case Study: The Argos Induction Programme How a new induction programme at Argos' Central Distribution Centre in Staffordshire helped boost team-working and improve staff retention.
18 Adapter or Innovator? According to Dr Michael Kirton's Inventory, we can all be divided into two groups - those who are more adaptive and those who are more innovative. Rob Sheffield looks at how you decide who's who and shows how KAI can help in the workplace.
19 Six Elements of Better Than High Performance Author of Team-Based Learning , Howard Hill explains the six ingredients needed in his recipe for team improvement.
20 The Seven Steps of Motivation Graham Povey of Capital Incentives & Motivation outlines a step-by-step guide to motivating a team.
Leadership/Management Development
21 The Way I See It… How to Become a Motivator Tom Bailey of Mind Resources explains how giving employees more responsibility can help boost their motivation.
22 Welcome to the Leadership Economy "The knowledge economy has not served us well, and not delivered real, sustainable value for our stakeholders, our companies, and our world," David Taylor, author of The Naked Leader, invites you to move into the next business age.
23 Understanding Emotional Intelligence Michael Massey author of ‘The Knowledge: How to be an Effective and Emotionally Intelligent Leader’ looks at the theory behind EI and its implications for leadership skills.
24 The Way I See It… What's the Point of Leadership Programmes? Paul Kearns argues that training managers need to ask questions about the business benefits of leadership development programmes.
25 The Way I See It… Beyond Evaluation of Leadership Programmes Godfrey Owen of Brathay argues that a short-term evaluation of a leadership development programme is unlikely to reveal its true business benefits.
26 Training the Entrepreneur With the proliferation of courses for budding entrepreneurs, Ellie Hamilton of Lancaster University Management School looks at whether training can help create the Richard Bransons of tomorrow.
IT Training
27 Case Study: IT Training in NHS Lothian With around half of its staff lacking basic IT skills, Lothian NHS University Hospitals Division faced a mammoth task when it decided to get its 13,000-strong workforce up to speed with computer technology.
28 IT Training v Time In the wake of warnings about a looming IT skills crisis, Jon Buttriss of Thomson NETg looks at how to make sure IT staff get the training they need, without costing them hours away from work.
29 Co-ordinating E-Learning with IT Development Richard Bunning demonstrates how to overcome the hurdles of developing a training package for a new IT system while that system is still in development.
30 Bringing Business Skills to IT and It Skills to Business Laura Kelly examines the
growing demand for IT skills training and the need for IT departments to receive training in business skills.
Public Sector Training
31 Basic Skills Training in the NHS Kathleen Hopper, Basic Skills and IT Tutor for Careconnect Learning gives a personal account of the work being carried out in the NHS to improve basic and IT skills among staff.
32 Blended Learning at the Home Office How the Home Office is rolling out a training programme to support an IT up-grade to its 15,000 staff in 166 offices.
33 Management Development at Lancashire County Council Lancashire County Council's leadership development programme has boosted employee loyalty and improved public perception of the organisation.
34 Diversity Training at Guys and St Thomas' Diversity action-planning at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Trust.
The Training Cycle
35 The Way I See It… Helping People to Learn Martyn Sloman, learning, training and development adviser at the CIPD explains why he believes trainers need to less on the traditional training model and more on facilitating learning.
36 Beat the Learning Dip Angela Pinnington of Boxwood explains how to make sure that skills learnt in the training room have real effect when staff get back to work.
37 Starting from Scratch; Creating a Culture of Needs-Based Learning In two articles Panasonic UK development manager Graham Borley explains how he over-hauled the company's training and development process resulting in a more motivated workforce and a 40% reduction in costs.
38 Show Me the Money - Getting Board Buy-InTips to swell the training budget coffers.
Trainer Development
39 Parkin Space: Why Would Anyone Become a Trainer? "Many trainers walk a long, hard, bitter path that begins in idealism, winds down through pragmatism, and terminates in cynicism." Godfrey Parkin muses on what makes a good trainer.
40 Managing Your Own CPD Hugh Alford, of TACK International, gives his thoughts on ways trainers can manage their own professional development.
41 Tips for Inventive Problem Solving TRIZ is a little talked-about Russian technique for problem solving. Used by many large organisations, TRIZ expert Brian Campbell explains why those companies who do employ this method often seem to keep quiet about it.
42 From the Chalkboard to the Chatboard Jacqui Harper of Crystal Business Training charts the way training has moved on from the days when trainers talked and learners listened.
43 Case Study: Train the Trainer in Action When Claire Ward and Paul Butler both transferred to QVC's training department in October 2003 they were tasked through developing their own train the trainer programme as part of this approach.
44 The Way I See It... Take the Leap, Become a Learning Consultant Nick Wright, Learning & Development Team Leader at Tearfund , explains how and why organisations are making the transition from training department to learning consultancy.
45 Paul Kearns' Bitesize Guide to Becoming a Business Partner Tools, tips and the tricks of the trade to help training and development professionals get closer to their business.
46 The Way I See It… Creative Training Clive Lewis of Illumine challenges trainers to think creatively.
Training Trends
47 The Way I See It… 2010 a Training Odyssey Rob Sheffield gives his slightly tongue-in-cheek predictions for the state of training and trainers in six years time.
48 Parkin Space: Training for the Outsourcing Decade Godfrey Parkin wonders what the future is for training when companies are importing skills.
49 Training Trends 2004: Predictions of Increased Demand Results of TrainingZONE's own survey of your predictions for 2004.
50 Reading the Research – Key Trends for Training Rose Ann Innes of learndirect , draws on recent research on training and development to pick out some of the key trends over 2004 and into 2005.
